Well Disposed Responding to the waste challenge A newcomers’ guide to waste disposal

Audit Commission Well Disposed2 How we dispose of our waste matters It matters to the planet … … 3 per cent of UK greenhouse gas emissions are methane from landfill sites It matters to people … … proposals for new disposal arrangements arouse strong passions It matters to our pockets … … disposing of waste cost councils nearly £1.5 billion in 2006/07, and costs are rising

Audit Commission Well Disposed3 Disposing of waste is an urgent priority for English councils We still landfill more waste than many other European countries At the current rate of use, we only have enough space in landfill sites for seven years An EU directive adopted in 1999 obliges us to reduce the amount we send to landfill by a quarter by 2010, a half by 2013, and two thirds by 2020 English councils face having to pay £150 for every tonne of biodegradable waste they landfill over a set allowance

Audit Commission Well Disposed4 Recycling waste is better for the environment than treating it, which in turn is better than landfilling it The waste hierarchy:

Audit Commission Well Disposed5 We have made good progress recently in reducing the amount of waste we landfill

Audit Commission Well Disposed6 We will meet the 2010 landfill target, and the 2013 target if councils deliver on their plans

Audit Commission Well Disposed7 Most councils are trying to reduce waste, but few think their efforts will make much difference

Audit Commission Well Disposed8 Councils expect further improvements in recycling rates but few expect to recycle more than half their waste

Audit Commission Well Disposed9 Councils are planning substantial increases in first recycling and then treatment facilities

Audit Commission Well Disposed10 It can take at least seven years to procure and deliver a new waste treatment facility

Audit Commission Well Disposed11 … so projects starting now may only be operational in time to contribute to hitting the 2020 target

Audit Commission Well Disposed12 Councils will only avoid financial penalties if waste treatment facilities are built on time Landfill reduction targets are most likely to be missed if waste treatment infrastructure is delayed If councils’ plans are delayed by a year, English councils will landfill slightly more waste than the 2013 target If the 2013 target is missed, councils could face costs of up to £7 million Even if the 2013 national target is met, councils that miss their targets risk facing bills of up to £2 million

Audit Commission Well Disposed13 Few authorities or partnerships generate enough waste to justify incinerators with energy recovery of the most economic scale

Audit Commission Well Disposed14 To secure value for money in waste disposal councils must…. Choose ways of disposing of waste that are best for the environment Buy the right amount of waste treatment infrastructure Pay the right price for the infrastructure they buy Lead their communities in planning and implementing new ways of dealing with waste Well Disposed provides advice to councils on all these issues (

Audit Commission Well Disposed15 Questions to ask (1) How much waste will be collected over the next five years? What proportion can be recycled cost-effectively? What are we going to do with the rest? Do these arrangements take into account: –neighbouring councils’ plans? –the local commercial waste market? What will we do with any treatment capacity we don’t need for our own waste?

Audit Commission Well Disposed16 Questions to ask (2) Are we managing the risks of any new waste treatment facilities not being ready on time? What will we do if we landfill more than we expect? –trade landfill allowances? –collaborate with other councils? How are we engaging the public in the challenges of disposing of waste in the most efficient and environmentally desirable way? Do our arrangements represent good value for money for local and national taxpayers?